Movies: reviews, reflections, and things of that nature

Movie Review: Moon

Moon’s refusal to step into the routine of hollywoodized dramatization gives it an artistic stride that tramples other films in its nearly dying genre. It never placates its highly conceptual statements in order to be more marketable, but it is in this boldness that makes Moon one of the most daring movies of the year.

Unfortunately, this movie might not be for everyone. Slow moving at times, cold, no space battles, only two to three characters, the “twist” is revealed in the first 45 minutes. Yet, these components are all pencil marks in director Duncan Jones’ beautiful illustration of the ennui and crisis that comes with solitude.

Moon is about Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), an employee of Lunar Industries, who’s based on the moon to extract Helium 3, the source of energy for Earth. He’s required to stay there for three years, and with only two weeks left, he falls victim to a personal crisis after discovering his own dying body in the moon’s outskirts.

Although most of the film is captured in just a few claustraphobic set pieces, the vastness of space is entirely present. We do see beautiful instances of that vacuum of darkness between Moon and Earth, but the sensation of this emptiness comes from the aforementioned tactics employed by Duncan Jones. Slow, still cinematography. Paletts of greys, whites, and blacks. Even the importance of humans down on Earth, whom the audience only sees through broadcast, makes a deep connection for our protaganist, Sam.

The feeling of isolation should also be credited to Sam Rockwell’s brilliant dual performance. As distancing as the movie might appear (mostly because it displays internal conflicts), the audience still latches onto him. The concept of loneliness and identity is completely universal, and his struggles are genuine.

As the movie progresses, we get introduced to the film’s questions on humanity and its relationship with technology. The cerebral exploration of Moon nicely provokes a level of conversation that other sci-fi films of this year aren’t even trying to do. While some of the movie’s thoughts and questions are beyond my level of intellectual capacity, they at least allow me to ask more questions and engage in more conversations, with the goal of exploring the depths of both outer and inner space. This, I believe, is Moon’s primary objective. To make us think about our significance as humans in a technologically evolving world, and to make us question the meaning of our own roles in life.

I think I wanted more out of such a bold film. It feels a bit restricted at times by its fairly low budget of $5 million. Yet, the fact that such an inventive movie was made under such modest conditions proves that Duncan Jones has a very promising future.

What makes Moon great for one person can make another person hate it. Its unyielding, untraditional attributes make it stand on its own unique feet. I personally find the film’s thirst for original science fiction very valuable to the world of cinema, but I can’t say I absolutely loved the film. It is however undeniable that Moon is a strong debut from Duncan Jones.

7.5 out of 10

Advertisements

Like this:

LikeLoading...

Related

3 Responses

i definitely feel that Moon was unmistakably original and full of heart. Sam Rockwell put on an amazing performance that will sadly go rather unnoticed in the world of film. But Moon isn’t perfect and it definitely isn’t the most exciting movie. However, it is a mark of excellence as far as exuding sincere effort and a desire to make a movie unlike anything else out there.

I was surprised by how much I liked it, it was slow at times but overall I thought it was a very good movie. The concept is scary to think about too, the idea that he can be replaced so easily and with no knowledge of it.